Planting at Thomsons
The project continues at Orkney wetland and we’ve got around 200 carex plants to get in the ground – these all help crowd out the weeds.
We’d love to see you there and appreciate any time you can give:
Event Details:
📅 Saturday 11 October
🕐 1:30pm start
📍 Orkney Wetland
🎟 Bring gumboots or sturdy footwear, spade, gloves and a water bottle
What’s Next for Thomsons
The project came to a close at the end of June with around $45,000 left in the coffers. The Ministry has agreed we can keep these funds for a further 12 months in case we have a significant rain event which impacts the wetland. In addition, the Ministry has provided seed funding to support ongoing initiatives in the catchment.
The community momentum we’ve built is strong, and everyone is committed to carrying this work forward. Thank you to volunteers, who continue the wetland pest monitoring, planting and water testing.
We were fortunate to attract funding from the ORC’s Eco Fund and this will help maintain the wetland this season. We’ll continue to seek funding from other sources to carry out weed control, enhance habitat for Galaxiids, and support more school involvement.
We’ll continue to spread the word about the good work being done here in our catchment on our Facebook page, sharing updates, opportunities to get involved, and ongoing achievements.
On the Trail with Traps and Tricks
If you happened to be on the rail trail at the end of July, you might have spotted members of our trapping team trundling along with a wheelbarrow full of odd supplies.
Kim Hore and Susan Heal were out installing five new Flipping Timmy possum traps, and along the way carried a mix of tools and baits: ping pong balls as visual ‘fake egg’ decoys, Pic’s peanut butter as irresistible bait, and washers on a rope for trap calibration tests. It might sound like an odd assortment, but each item has a role to play in making predator control more effective.
While setting the traps, Kim and Susan also took time to notice the birdlife around them. They spotted a swan still on the nest and at least four others nearby, as well as Plovers, Pukeko, Mallards, and dozens of Paradise Ducks. Even with the chill of a -5°C morning, it was great to see such a variety of bird species around.
These activities are all part of our ongoing work to reduce predator numbers, protect nesting birds, and improve the health of our environment.
A few days later, Kim and Susan were back out again, this time installing our new state-of-the-art A230 Automatic Possum Trap. They also finished calibrating all the DOC250 traps, which are now fully operational, and began trialling mouse traps inside them to see if fresher bait makes a difference.
The weather had warmed a little, with grey skies replacing the frosts, and our five resident swans were still about (only one still nesting), so we’ll be keeping watch for cygnets soon.
With winter maintenance wrapped up and the last of our new traps installed: 12 DOC250s, 5 Flipping Timmy traps, and an AT230 Auto Trap (which has already caught its first possum!), we’re in a strong position to protect bird breeding this season as water levels rise and the wetland comes to life.
If you’re interested in getting involved in trapping or bird monitoring, we’d love to hear from you. Text or call Kim on 027 288 8484 to join the team.
To stay in the loop with everything that’s been happening and what’s ahead, keep an eye on mcg.org.nz/thomsons-project or follow us on Facebook for frequent updates. Thank you to everyone who’s been part of this journey.
Click to read more about what's been happening for the Manuherekia Catchment Group and Waiora Manuherekia Project:
